Nathan and I took our first real stab at some winter hiking this year, cause… COVID, so why not! Virginia winters have been mild in recent years, and *of course* this year decided not to follow the trend with a majority of our nights going below freezing. That meant that on our two hiking trips this winter, both of the mountain trails were blanketed in snow (and the less “nice” ice). Here’s a look into what we took on and what we would not do next time!

The Inca trail is an experience not to be missed while exploring Peru! It is the quintessential Peruvian experience all wrapped into four days of unforgettable history, scenery, trail food, and hiking. It was the experience that really made this trip a trip of a lifetime for us. If Machu Picchu is on your bucket list, do not take the easy way, take the trail.   

One of the best things about Peru is that everywhere you look there are unique and beautiful sights. Whether you’re exploring the Lima coast, traveling the Sacred Valley, or making the drive from the shores of Lake Titicaca to the volcanoes of Arequipa you can’t go wrong. I don’t think it is possible for us to pick a “favorite” view but there are a couple that especially stick out in our minds.

Sunsets on Lake Titicaca - I mean talk about an epic sunset! Although we only stayed two nights on this lake, we made sure to soak up the sunsets each evening from the porch of our hotel, Titilaka. The soft sunlight hitting that crisp blue water with the orange landscape, was a stunning sight, and Nathan managed to capture some of this beauty in a photo.

Peru has been a bucket list item for us for years! I’ll admit what first got me excited was the ideas of llamas everywhere I turn, but turns out the people and places are what really made Peru a top destination for us. We were lucky enough to be able to spend two amazing weeks delving into almost all that Peru has to offer for our Honeymoon this past August.

Couple of helpful things to know about our trip and Peru:

Because this was our Honeymoon we decided to splurge a little on our accommodations (with that being said your buck can really go a long way here! We still did not break the bank when it came to bookings). Also driving in Peru is a dangerous endeavor for those of us who are used to paved roads and street lights at night. Typically we rent cars/use public transportation when we travel for flexibility but in this case we used drivers/taxi services to get us from place to place. They were all wonderful and not as expensive as you may think!